Down Under’s natural ecosystems are like no other. Explore this astonishing continent by taking one, two or all three segments, each focused on different natural habitats and the fascinating history and culture. You can participate in one or more and vary your length of trip or the habitats you wish to experience.
1. New South Wales Woodland and Semi-Arid Tour (11 days). This segment begins in Sydney and proceeds up the east coast visiting, the spectacular Blue Mountains National Park with its array of bird specialties. Continuing on to Coonabarabran and the Capertee Valley, we will be in what is considered Australia’s best woodland birding location. After spending time birding for semi-arid species around Pillaga we will continue toward Armidale and visit areas listed as World Heritage Sites, then on to Lamington National Park and the famous O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, renown as one of Australia’s premiere birding spots.
2. Cairns Rainforest Tour (7 days). The Cairns rainforest segment begins in Mossman Gorge National Park in tropical North Queensland. This “wet” rainforest offers many bird species not found elsewhere. After exploring several sites within this diverse mountain rainforest habitat, we will head to the Great Barrier Reef Excursion. Visiting Coral Atoll, we will see several pelagic species and have a chance to snorkel.
3. Arid and Woodland Tour (8 days). This segment begins in Alice Springs near Ayers Rock. This is an excellent location to see birds of Australia’s central desert. After birding this area for a couple of days, we will fly to Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory high in the tropics, where the bird species will vary dramatically. Kakadu National Park with its 250 recorded species earns its renown reputation for incredible birding and the 30,000 year old rock paintings give one a since of awe. We’ll explore the Adelaide River habitat, including an outback cattle station.
International Birding
BIRDING FOCUSED
WILDERNESS WILDLIFE & BIRDING